


Splash

by ridorana



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: spoilers up to phon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 18:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11742582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ridorana/pseuds/ridorana
Summary: Vaan and Penelo skinny dip in the coast. Balthier is a prankster.





	Splash

_Splash_

Balthier pads along the midnight sands with a coeurl’s stealth, though the effort proves unnecessary, given his prey is happily oblivious to the rest of the world. Predictable, what he’s happened upon in the thick black of night on the Coast; Vaan, at least, he isn’t surprised to find stark naked in the waters. It’s the fact he’s convinced Penelo in the darkness of the camp outpost to join him for a naked caper in the waves that makes this a recipe for entertainment.

The pair is far enough away that he can’t see them save for the outlines of their figures, but a loud lot they both prove to be.Penelo and Vaan splash about unceremoniously, their excitement amplifying the clamor twofold. Though Penelo certainly prides herself on being Vaan’s keeper, she’s not exactly of the subdued type herself. Far into their journey they are and far do they have to go - the fact the two errant war orphans still don’t grow tiresome is evidence that either Balthier has grown soft or simply has tuned out the constant ringing in his ears.

Mayhap’s both, but the beach is nice enough. He certainly remembers coming out here in the dead of night, shy of their age, back aching from the speed at which he rode a Tchita Downs stock breed faster than he should have to breathe in the salt air and stick his toes in the tide. It was nights like those when he could finally unclench his teeth, alone and away from Archades, the Akademy, his father - away from it all.  

Skinny dipping, though? For fun, and not only for necessity of being clean? Only Dalmascans would concoct that idea. He thinks Archadia isn’t completely sure of what exactly they signed on for when stealing away Dalmasca - hard to tame, she is, as her people. These two are evidence of that. Even on the sands of the Empire they laugh and splash, naked as the day they were born.

The night sky is clouded so that the moon casts only a thin film of muted light over the sea's surface. He can’t see Penelo save for her blonde pigtails floating along the water’s edge as she’s submerged, but Vaan’s pale ass is a round beacon over the surface when he stands; the stark change of skintone is a steady line across his waist. It’s, in actuality, quite hilarious.

He decides here, he’ll make his presence known.

“Enjoying yourselves?”

Two screams. Immediate. In unison. He thinks Vaan’s was a bit too suspiciously similar to Penelo’s in octave, and makes a mental note to bring that up that later. More splashing, and Vaan falls into the water in some attempt at modesty despite the fact everyone’s seen him naked at this point. The boy is hardly subtle.

“Relax, it’s just me. Needn’t sound like you’re being murdered.”

“Holy shit, Balthier,” Vaan’s voice breathes across the water in a sigh and Penelo submerges herself fully to blow bubbles along the surface. He catches his breath. “Come to join us?”

“Oh, hardly. Simply here to make sure neither of you get swept away. Naked wet Dalmascans catch a pretty price here in Archadia.” It’s meant to be a joke, and they’ll take it as such, but only he knows right here that it’s not. Well acquainted is Balthier with what the ilk of his blood get up to in their spare time vacationing along the Coast. Pranking aside, it’s probably pretty wise to keep an eye on them. Or at least, an ear.

“Hear that, Vaan? Maybe you can finally pay off that loan you owe Migelo.” Penelo’s voice is a snort.

“Your sarcasm's a little dry, Pen. Here, lemme wet it for you.” A cacophony of splashes follows, almost violent, and Penelo coughs.

 _“_ You both _are_ aware of what comes alive in these waters after dark, no? _”_

The undignified, very Dalmascan squawks from the darkness ahead are answer enough.

“Huh?”

“He’s kidding, right Vaan?”

“You’re kidding, right Balthier?”

Balthier shuffles in the shadows by the palm trunks for something along the nearby rocks and his expression grows serious despite his unaware audience  - it adds to his voice, nonetheless, cold and low. His tongue clicks and it’s hard to hide his smirk as his hands skim about the surroundings.

“Oh, not at all, I’m afraid.” When he finds what he’s looking for - the discarded towels slumped along a stone's edge - he snatches them quickly. “The connecting straits breed a right nasty line of nocturnal Ichthons of testy temperaments - voracious appetites indeed, rather insatiable taste for hume flesh. Why, if I’m not mistaken, I believe I saw a bill posted for it just at the Hunter’s Camp earlier today.” It’s overkill to be sure, but the desert adolescents fall for it hook line and sinker. He can’t see their faces but the water comes alive with splashes and muffled curses, mostly from Penelo.

“Balthier, toss us those towels.” Vaan’s demand is taut and desperate.

“What towels?” he asks, voice light and innocent, deceived only by the wicked smirk on his face. Without another word, he takes off running.

“What the hell— _Balthier_!”

Vaan running after him is predicted enough, but then Penelo shouts,

“Hey, what, wait, Vaan _don’t leave me here in the dark_!”

Balthier hears two pairs of feet give chase along the lip of the shore, fervent splashes gaining, and oh, what his father would think of him now - rogue sky pirate, running barefoot in the night as two naked, wet, nubile desert people chase him on the very land he ripped his roots from years ago. Barely heard over the angry shouts of Vaan and Penelo, Balthier’s laughter lights up the night.


End file.
